Which fermenter and lagering vessel to use

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

So, I've been hoarding a bunch of equipment off of craigslist and now want to put it to best use for a lager.

I have a Blichmann 7-gal Fermenator, 5 & 6 gal glass carboy, an ale pail, 1/6 Sanke, and a few Corny kegs.

Been making ales up to this point. What would be the best use of equipment above for a first-time lager?

I'm thinking:

1) Glass carboy may be better for fermenter so I can monitor activity? Or, just use the conical?

2) I would like to use the Sanke for a lagering vessel and save the corny's for kegging. Not sure how to go about converting a 1/6 Sanke to lager vessel. Any ideas?

 

[sumbrewindude]

So, I've been hoarding a bunch of equipment off of craigslist and now want to put it to best use for a lager.

I have a Blichmann 7-gal Fermenator, 5 & 6 gal glass carboy, an ale pail, 1/6 Sanke, and a few Corny kegs.

Been making ales up to this point. What would be the best use of equipment above for a first-time lager?

I'm thinking:

1) Glass carboy may be better for fermenter so I can monitor activity? Or, just use the conical?

2) I would like to use the Sanke for a lagering vessel and save the corny's for kegging. Not sure how to go about converting a 1/6 Sanke to lager vessel. Any ideas?

I could care less about watching a bottom fermenting yeast for a month, so to me (if you have no immediate use for it) the best option would be one of the kegs - easiest would be the cornie as you just need to remove the gas tap and put a grommet/airlock on it and let it sit in the dark/cold. Keep in mind if you want to force transfer you'll need to short up the liquid tube as it'll be buried in yeast when your done making force transferring a PITA.

If you have a use for the cornie, then the Sanke would be the next option - remove the spear and valve, get a 2" triclover to hose adapter and just put a blow off hose on it and forget about it.

A better option for the Sanke would be something like the Brewers Hardware conversion kit that would allow you to force transfer when you're done, but it's expensive considering you could get another two cornies for the price. I thought Bobby was working on something for Sanke's also, but I can't recall.


Just not a fan of the glass for this kind of work.